March 04 2013

Big Plans in Las Vegas

By David McMillin, Staff Writer

One of America’s go-to cities for meetings is working to be a go-to location for the rest of the globe.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority announced plans for the Las Vegas Global Business District. The multi-year expansion program will include more exhibit space, more meeting rooms, technology upgrades and more at the city’s convention center, along with a centralized transportation hub in the resort corridor.

The “global” component relies on effectively marketing the destination to take advantage of international group business opportunities. The plans build on the LVCVA’s World Trade Center distinction, a brand designation that the center earned in 2011 through an agreement with the Consumer Electronics Association.

“This is more than a project,” Rossi Ralenkotter, president and CEO, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, said in a statement. “This is a vision that will launch Las Vegas forward ahead of the competition for decades to come.”

Other US CVBs are working to promote the benefits of bringing international organizations together in their cities, too. Choose Chicago recently announced that the city has committed an additional $5 million to fund marketing efforts that promote easy access for international travelers at O’Hare and Midway Airports.

“The Las Vegas Global Business District reflects a growing trend among US destinations to become more attractive on the international stage,” Michelle Stoddard Crowley, manager, global development and programs, PCMA, says. “As business opportunities continue to emerge in new places around the world, American destinations are working to determine how to present their offerings as a complete package for global organizations."

"Many US cities are already off to a great start distinguishing their settings as ideal places to bring the international community together," Stoddard Crowley adds.

To learn more about what the global economy means for the meeting industry, click here for perspectives from Stephane Garelli, director, World Competitiveness Center, International Institute for Management Development.